For A Baby This Small, The Outside World Is Too Dangerous To

Have you ever held a newborn baby? Sometimes it’s hard to believe how small they are, barely the size of your arm. Their tiny feet and hands, when they open their eyes for the first time and look at you in wonder… when you feel their heartbeat as you hold them closer. Jitender and Ritu have never been able to experience any of this until 4 days ago when their baby boy was born to them. This is their only baby that has survived.

But now, they could lose him too.

The dreaded phone call

Jitender was at work when he received a phone call from his mother-in-law. This felt all too familiar to him. His heart raced as he made his way to the hospital.

“We’ve lost two babies even before they were born. This had happened before… the same phone call telling me to rush to the hospital. I was scared. But this time, they said there’s hope. Our baby would survive, but we couldn’t take him home just yet…”

Ritu and Jitender’s baby boy was born in the 8th month of her pregnancy. He was barely 1 kg and he struggled to breathe. For a baby that small, the outside world is too dangerous. He needs to stay in the NICU for at least 4 more weeks to recover. Ritu can’t stop crying every time she enters the NICU. She is still recovering from the delivery and visits her baby twice every day. Jitender hasn’t left the hospital.

Years of heartbreak and mourning have left them with little hope

“We’ve been married for 5 years. And 3 years of those were spent mourning for the children we lost. In some ways this might be our only chance to be parents. I haven’t gone back to work since the delivery... How can I? I will sleep on the floor of this hospital and do whatever it takes to take my son back home with me.”

However, Jitender’s determination alone isn’t enough to save his baby. The job he hasn’t gone for – a motor repair job in a company – gets him Rs. 6,000 per month with which he has to take care of his wife and ailing parents. And Jitender needs lakhs to save his baby - 5 lakhs.

“When I pray I tell God to forgive me if I’ve ever done something in my previous birth. Why should my baby suffer for that? He hasn’t done anything, he hasn’t seen anything… he’s only been in the world for 4 days. And all those days have been filled with suffering.”

If there’s anything this couple has learnt in the past 5 years, it’s to stay strong and never give up hope. But they can’t do this on their own now. They need your help to save their newborn’s life.

For A Baby This Small, The Outside World Is Too Dangerous To Survive Right Now